Richardson Hitchins takes on former two-division world title challenger Jose Zepeda on Saturday, September 23 at Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida. The pair squares off in the scheduled for 12 rounds headline-bout live stream on DAZN. Ahead of the event, the fighters hosted the final press conference, previewed their clash and went face to face.
Rising super lightweight Hitchins (16-0, 7 KOs) won his previous bout in February by unanimous decision against John Bauza and remained unbeaten. Going up against Zepeda, the 25-year-old native of Brooklyn, New York brings to the ring his IBF North American belt. In addition, the vacant WBC ‘Silver’ and WBO NABO straps are on the line.
‘I can’t say that I’m looking at this as a tough test’
“I’ve got to say that I am excited,” Richardson Hitchins said. “I want to say ‘Thank you, God’ for this opportunity and thank you to you, Eddie, and Matchroom. Jose Zepeda says that I have never fought at this level. But he is forgetting that I was a kid at 22 years old with only ten professional fights and beating guys like Argenis Mendez, a guy who had already won a world title, and for every fight after that, I told anybody and everybody who they put me in the ring with that isn’t on a world championship level that it is a step down.”
“Jose Zepeda has fought a lot of professional fights but also, he doesn’t have that on his record. Also, he’s fought a lot of guys who don’t have the athleticism or the same skillset than what I bring to the table. They’re all one-dimensional guys. You know, guys like Ivan Baranchyk, who was one of his best wins, but that guy was nothing. He had no fundamental skills at all in the ring. When he gets in the ring with me this Saturday, it doesn’t matter how many fights he’s had or whether he’s been in with Jose Ramirez.”
“There’s a reason why I’m here after 16 fights. I’m a very smart fighter. He’ll figure that out when I open up on him. You will see that on Saturday night. Everything he says when he talks about levels, he’s fought people like Josue Vargas who he talked his way into the fight. I fought my way into this fight, and I have dominated everybody who has been put in front of me. He will be in a tough fight. I’m going to be around here for a long time.”
“I can’t say that I’m looking at this as a tough test, but it is a test because Jose Zepeda got here by being a great boxer. But guys like Baranchyk made mistakes against him, so he won. But he can’t do that with me because I don’t make mistakes.”
Zepeda (36-3 27 KOs) was in action in March, when he defeated Neeraj Goyat by unanimous decision. With the victory, Long Beach, California’s 34-year-old returned to winning ways after dropping a unanimous decision against Regis Prograis in their WBC 140-pound title fight in November 2022.
In 2019, Zepeda suffered the defeated by majority decision against Jose Ramirez in his first bid to earned the WBC light welterweight title. In July 2015, he lost his WBO light welterweight title fight via second-round RTD against Terry Flanagan.
‘He hasn’t been at this level yet’
“I’m always ready,” Jose Zepeda said. “I want to say thank you to you Eddie Hearn and to everyone at Matchroom. We added a new trainer in Manny Robles, my brother and Stitch. I want to thank all of them because it’s thanks to them that it has been one hell of a training camp. We always come ready. I’ve been there, done that and I’ve come through everything. I’ve had a little bit of bad luck for my challenger fights, but I believe that I’m in my prime. I know I’m 34 years old, but this is where I’m working the hardest at 34 and where I feel that I’m the best.”
“That’s the main reason why I am taking this fight [the prospect of future World title challenges]. But I know in Richardson Hitchins, that he’s a fast fighter and the best prospect out there at 140. I know for a fact that if I beat him, I’m going straight back to the top for a world title shot. So, that’s what I’m looking for and to fight once again for a world title.”
“In the fights I have seen of him, he is a talented fighter and a good prospect – but he hasn’t been at this level yet. That’s why in this fight we are going to see if he can work under pressure. There are levels. Trust me when I fought for a world title for the first time against [Jose Carlos] Ramirez, the first time I got hit to the body I knew that it was a different level. It’s different stuff. So, let’s see what it’s all about and see how he handles things on Saturday night.”
In the co-feature, British Conor Benn (21-0, 14 KOs) of Ilford, Essex makes his ring return against Rodolfo Orozco (32-3-3, 24 KOs) of Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico. The contest is scheduled for 10 rounds at super welterweight.
Also on the card, British WBO welterweight titleholder Sandy Ryan (6-1 2 KOs) of Derby, Derbyshire faces American unified WBA and WBC champion, who previously held the 147-pound undisputed crown, Jessica McCaskill (12-3 5 KOs) of Chicago, Illinois. The pair battles it out in the scheduled for 10 rounds world championship unification bout.
In the UK and Australia, Hitchins vs Zepeda airs live on Sunday, September 23.
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